British paparazzi stalk Sweden's 'snow-man'

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Staff members at a hospital in northern Sweden are outraged after finding British photographers lurking in their corridors on the hunt for an exclusive snap of Sweden's mystery “snow man”, a 44-year-old who survived in his car for two months without food.

“Staff members on the wards are outraged and upset that this has happened, this behaviour is clearly inappropriate,” Ulf Segerberg, Chief Medical Officer of Norrland University Hospital, told The Local.

According to one report in the Aftonbladet newspaper, the hospital in Umeå, northern Sweden, was visited on Wednesday by an “elderly” British photographer.

“Yes, I can confirm that there have been journalists in the common rooms and the corridors of our hospital – places where they shouldn't be,” Segerberg said, adding that he could not confirm or deny the photographers' nationalities.

After doctors asked the man to leave and he didn't listen, staff members threatened to call the police, and were then forced to chase the photographer away.

He was, according to the paper, opening random doors in the hopes of capturing the first images of the man since he emerged from his snow covered vehicle on Friday.

It is unclear which newspaper the photographers were representing.

“Sweden's healthcare system has a strong history and tradition of confidentiality, so we are often irritated when journalists step over the line, however this isn't the first time," Segerberg said.

The snow survivor, named in media reports as Peter Skyllberg, has captured the attention of the international media, with newspapers around the world eagerly releasing the mysterious details of the story as they develop.

Yet so far, little is known about the man, and he has not spoken of his ordeal to anyone, with most reports based on interviews Skyllberg's family and acquaintances.

Skyllberg was found in his Jeep Grand Cherokee in the early afternoon of February 17th.

He was uncovered by passing snowmobilers, who were surprised to see movements through the windows of the snowed-in car which was parked at the end of an unused forest road.

Police and rescue teams were called in, and police reported that the man said he had not eaten since December 19th.

Many experts have questioned the claim that Skyllberg lived so long without food, but others said it was theoretically possible to survive for such a length of time (61 days) with only snow to eat.

The man has allegedly been out of contact with his family for years.

According to Aftonbladet, Skyllberg ran into serious financial problems after a failed attempt to sell an apartment building he had bought four years ago for 1.75 million kronor ($264,551).

While the renovation started off with promise, it soon sucked up more and more money.

"He called to say he was bankrupt," a friend told Aftonbladet, who added that all the stress and hard work had made Skyllberg ill.

In December, he was ordered to pay 1.6 million kronor in back payments on a loan, and went missing soon after.